PROJECT: CAYRO

Cayro Bracton:

August 25, 2025

21:23 EST

The Bracton House

Hampton VA.

I sat slouched in my desk chair, staring at the tablet, trying to figure out how the hell I was going to reply to Star. Three days ago, she had sent me an email that threw me off balance, and now I was stuck, not sure what to say.

Email: #11

FROM: SZ-0117

TO: CB-5522

SUBJECT: Lost Friend

Hey C, I’m excited to see you too. Maybe this time we can actually have a proper introduction. We really didn’t get a chance the last time—it was all a bit rushed. Maybe once you’ve moved in and gotten comfortable on board the Autumn, we can read together sometime. I have a lot of books everyone on board has given me. You’re welcome to borrow them if you want to. I know it’ll be a while before you can bring much stuff on board. Oh, do you even like to read books? The Captain mentioned that you like to skyboard. What kind of board do you have? Will you bring it with you when you come aboard? Well, I look forward to your reply. See you soon.

S.

She thought I was moving onto the Autumn. But how could I, when I was planning to start college in a few weeks? All I wanted was to get this procedure done and get back to some kind of normal. Sure, the idea of being part of the Team SAF sounded amazing—who wouldn’t want that? But I had dreams, and those dreams involved becoming a mechanical engineer, not flying around in some airship as a re-engineered soldier.

I sighed heavily, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. I still needed to pack a bag for the next few days. But the truth was, I didn’t want to leave, not permanently. Staying with my grandparents, helping out at the shop while pursuing my education, that was my plan. The idea of disappointing Star gnawed at me, though. She seemed so excited, and I didn’t want to crush that.

But who could I talk to about this? Not my grandparents—they’d be on board with me staying here, no question. And the damn cat, the one that had been bothering me for days, had conveniently vanished after I found the C Drive. It was as if it had been sent to torment me, only to disappear when I needed answers.

I shook my head, trying to push the frustration aside. I needed sleep, but the anxiety in my chest was building, thinking about what might happen if they insisted I stay aboard the Autumn. I just wanted to be in control of my own life, not be swept up in whatever plans they had for me.

Just as I began to drift off, my tablet buzzed with the arrival of a new email. I reached over, pulled it to me, and logged in to see what Star had sent.

Email: #12

FROM: SZ-0117

TO: CB-5522

SUBJECT: Arrived

C, we’ve arrived thirty miles off the coast of Virginia. We’ll be there in an hour to pick you up.

S.

I jumped out of bed, the adrenaline kicking in as I hurriedly grabbed clothes and shoved them into my backpack. I tucked the journal and tablet safely between the folds of my clothes, then stuffed my cell and wallet into my pants pockets. Rushing out of my bedroom door, I dashed down the stairs to find my grandfather in his office, where he was casually browsing new sport bikes to order for the shop.

“Grandpa, the Team SAF crew will be here in an hour to pick me up,” I said, nearly breathless as I burst into his office.

“They got here earlier than expected. Are you ready to go?” he asked, his tone sharp and direct.

“As ready as I can be,” I replied, though my voice wavered slightly.

“Joseph, get in here!” I heard my grandmother shout from the living room, her voice filled with urgency.

I followed my grandfather out of the office, my heart pounding in my chest. As we stepped into the living room, I saw my grandmother staring at the TV, her face pale. The local news anchor was making an announcement that sent a chill down my spine.

“It has been announced by the Department of Defense that a terrorist group has been detected thirty miles off the coast of Virginia. The Department of Defense has declared they are taking immediate action to deploy countermeasures to ensure that the terrorist group known as Team SAF is dealt with.”

I turned to look at my grandfather, feeling the blood drain from my face. The fear clawed at my throat as I whispered, “They won’t make it here…”

His expression was grim, eyes cold as steel. “You need to go, Cayro. If the DoD tracks them here, it will cause a huge mess for your grandmother and me,” he said, his voice unwavering.

“What should I do?” I asked, my mind racing, trying to focus amidst the rising panic.

“Get your skyboard and meet me in the front yard,” he ordered.

I didn’t hesitate. I sprinted upstairs, grabbing my skyboard, then quickly slinging my bag over my shoulders I had prepared. I raced back down the stairs, nearly tripping in my haste. My grandmother met me at the bottom, her face filled with a mix of worry and love.

“Honey, please be safe and come back home to us,” she whispered, pulling me into a tight hug.

“I will,” I promised softly, trying to hold back the fear in my voice as I broke the hug and bolted out the front door.

Outside, I found my grandfather waiting in the driveway, the urgency in his movements mirroring my own. I activated my board, quickly strapping the wristband to my arm.

“Cayro, keep your head down and get to the Autumn as fast as you can. The Air Force will be deploying aerial forces to take it down. The sooner you get there, the sooner they can leave and get clear of U.S. airspace,” he explained, his voice rough with concern. He grabbed me into a tight bear hug, holding on longer than usual before stepping back.

Breaking the hug, he took my wrist and quickly typed in coordinates on my wrist band. “These are the coordinates where the Autumn is supposed to be. Get there as fast as possible,” he ordered, his grip firm before he released me.

“Grandpa, take this. That way I can keep in touch with you and Grandma,” I said, pulling the tablet out of my bag and offering it to him.

“I can’t keep this, Cayro. If the DoD comes here, this will lead them back to you. Now get going,” he insisted, unzipping my bag, stuffing the tablet back inside, and zipping it shut with finality.

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. With a quick nod, I stepped onto my board and locked my feet in place. I looked at my grandfather one last time before hitting the accelerator on my phone, launching myself into the air with a rush of speed.

The wind whipped against my face as I flew above the city of Hampton, tears streaming down my cheeks—partly from the wind, but mostly from the flood of emotions crashing over me. I glanced down at my wristband, the blinking indicator reassuring me that I was on the right path. The coast came into view quickly, but I knew I was still thirty miles out from the Autumn.

As I looked up, my heart sank. Skycars were headed my way, but what made my blood run cold was the sight of A-10 Warthogs closing in fast.

Shit…